If Only For a Moment
by PrincessH
Summary: .:.Chapter 1 Revised.:. The original house has been recontructed in someone's plot to finish what was started in 13 Ghosts. RoyceOC, KathyDennis, DanaOC. PLZR&R. I'm revising most of the story and going to continue so please review!
1. Friends

Kathy Kriticos, Madison Lansington, Lucas Kensing, and Kyle McCombs stood looking at the space of land which was to become their home for the next 2 days. It was late June and they had just graduated from the high school they had shared for 4 years. This was a final trip, a goodbye to childhood for each of them before they headed off to college for the fall. They had been planning this trip for months. Kathy planned to go to NYU, while Madison and Lance were planning on staying together in Boston College and eventually get married but Kyle was undecided on what he was doing. He was quoted as saying that he hadn't found where he was suppose to be yet and he didn't want to waste all his parents money on college if he didn't know what he wanted to go for yet.

"Well, this is nice!" Madison said as Lucas came up behind her and wrapped a protective arm around her. "The tall trees, the fresh smell of the spring air and my three best friends." She laughed a little turning in his arms to face him and placing a small kiss on his nose.

"Yes, it is considering I picked it. No one around for miles, just us and nature...By the way, do we get our own tent?" He asked mischievously. Madison swatted him in the arm playfully. They had been together for almost a year but still didn't feel like she could share that part of her with him yet. There was still something in the back of her head telling her he wasn't the right one for her. She brushed it aside with a small smile playing on her lips.

"Lucas, you know how I feel about that!" She sighed softly, squeezing his upper arm in reassurance and walking towards Kathy, who was setting up one large tent in the center of the spot.

"Hey, Kath. You think we'll have the tent up by nightfall?" She asked with a smile. Kathy looked up at her, a mark of frustration showing in her expression.

"Would you like to do it yourself, Princess?" She asked with a small giggle and they both started to laugh.

A few miles west; hidden in the woods were the remains of the destroyed Kriticos house, which looked to be in the stages of being rebuilt. Just a few walls left to restore the living, breathing death machine it once was. David Kriticos stood in the front flower bed, looking up at the construction with critical eyes. The son of the late Cyrus Kriticos watched as the final wall was being placed to fulfill his father's last wishes, to resurrect him and open the eye of hell using the 13 ghosts he had painstakingly collected throughout his lifetime. He had managed to recollect 11 of the 12 original ghosts but he failed to capture a withered lover ghost considering that Jean Kriticos was sent on to the afterlife after the destruction of the original machine. He had managed to replace her with the ghost of a similar story, a young girl named, Liz Collins, who was lost in a fire that her parents or her fiancé could not save her from. Overall he was quiet proud of himself and all he had left was to get his cousin, that awful little witch, to sacrifice her or one of her dumb friends to open the eye. He knew they were camping nearby. He knew every move they made and it would be his job to see his father's mission succeeded. His eyes grazed the rooftop in the bright sunlight and moved towards the entire glass house in admiration. His Father was a brilliant man.

Kathy and Madison sat at the fire as night began to fall, talking of old stories from their high school days and memories they'd share for the rest of their lives.

"You remember that guy that had the hugest crush on you?" Madison said with a laugh, wrapping an arm around her knees. Kathy laughed slightly at the memory, looking down at the ground so no one would see her blush. They were her best friends but even they couldn't understand everything Kathy held inside. Especially the memories she held deep in the back of her mind of a tall lanky psychic who died to allow her Father to save her from death. The only man she had ever truly loved.

"Yeah, he was nice but I just... haven't found the right one yet." Kathy said with a sigh as Lucas and Kyle joined them. Madison, Kathy and Kyle had all been friends since the first grade and had seen each other through everything. From Madison's parent's divorce to Kathy's Mom's death and even when Kyle was afraid of the dark. They would always be friends, they thought. Lucas hadn't joined them until junior year, coming from California; he came with stories of surfing and sun. Madison was immediately taken with him His was a different story entirely from any of theirs, his parents had disowned him when he was 16, the reason he never said but he immediately returned Madison's affections. He had been on his own for a while so he came in handy when they got in trouble. Not to mention he had hidden talents no one even knew about, like the ability to pick locks.

"Wait was about that time when Mike Kent shoved your head in the toilet!" Kathy countered to Kyle. He looked mortified she'd even bring that up.

"That was freshmen year and it was kill a freshmen day." He exclaimed with indignity. Madison and Kathy began to laugh hysterically, causing Kyle to get up from the log he had been occupying and retreat to the confines of his small tent.

"Oh, come on! I didn't mean it like that!" Kathy called after him, chasing him into his tent with a laugh. Madison watched the display a gently smile playing on her lips.

"I'm tired; I think we sure head to bed." Lucas mumbled, burying his face his Madison's neck and kissing the soft skin there with a firm press of his lips.

"You go; I'll be there in a couple of minutes." She said almost in a whisper, pushing him back from herself with a gentle firmness. He shrugged, getting up from the ground and stepping over the log, Madison was seated on. She was the only one left at the fire, staring at it with intent until she heard the zipper of the tent behind her and was sure Lucas was secured inside.

The night was silent Madison told herself, looking into the darkened forest. She sat down just outside the tent Lucas had just entered and sighed deeply looking back at her fiancé trying to go to sleep in the tent.

"I love you so much, Lucas, but I don't know if I can marry you." She thought to herself looking back at the forest in front of her. She hated leading everyone on the way she had been these past few months. She didn't know how to end it and at the same time she didn't know if she wanted to.

"I need an answer. " She thought out loud again. It started out that she really did want to marry Lucas and go to the same college and get an apartment and then someday have children but then things started to change. He had become controlling but Madison never told anyone. She wished she could rewind to the first few months they had spent together. He was so sweet and caring and hung on her every word just to get to spend an extra minute with her. But lately he had become distracted. She still hung on to the moments when he was still his same old self, but those times were dwindling and Madison was having doubts about spending the rest of her life with him. Maybe there was something else out there for her too, she thought standing up to dump out the water she'd been sipping and returning to the tent. She slowly laid down on her sleeping bag and looked at the stars out the netted ceiling of the small area, what she wouldn't do to have someone special, that made her feel special again.

"I'm just dreaming..."She said as Lucas stirred but didn't wake up. She grabbed the blanket and got underneath, drifting off to sleep.

In the basement of the Kriticos house, the ghosts were all awake, they only slept to regenerate. Dana Newman stood at her door staring across the hall at her best friend, Royce Clayton.

"Royce? Are you okay?" She asked leaning as close to the glass as she dared. Royce looked up for a second then returned his gaze to the floor.

"No, dolly. I mean I can't believe I let that jerk catch me again!" He said shaking his head and getting up to swing his bat around.

"If I ever get my hands on that ..." He said swinging again. Jackal laughed.

"Think you're tough...pretty boy?" He asked with a laugh. What Royce wouldn't do to swing at him a couple of times.

"Royce, we all got caught. We just have to make the best of it and when the chambers start to open again we'll kill him and destroy the machine and get out of here. I for one don't want to see what hell looks like!" She said looking around.

"Speak for yourself!" Yelled the Jackal, Ryan Kuhn, from another chamber.

"Shut up, Ryan!" the Prince yelled, "Just because you, Hammer, and Jauggenaut want to see hell and help with this evil plan doesn't mean we all do!"

"Prince, if you haven't noticed. We don't have a choice in the first place!" The Pilgrimess yelled. Suddenly the whole basement filled with the arguing of 12 angry ghosts.


	2. Entering the House

**Chapter 2**

The next morning came quickly, the bright rays of the sun, shining in the netted top of the small tent with intensity. Madison woke up alone and rolled away from the light to try to get a few more moments of peace. The faint sounds of her friends already but caused her to look outside to see only Kathy cooking something on the grill. The sizzling from whatever she was cooking was the source of the noise.

"Morning." Madison said letting the words slide from here mouth and stumbling out of the tent.

"Hey, We let you sleep, Lucas said you looked so peaceful but we had some problems." Kathy said, although she didn't seem too worried about it.

"What?" Madison said a little annoyed. "That's all we need."

"The car won't start and we can't get home or anywhere for that matter. We're in the middle of no where." Kathy motioned to the car, flinging the fork she had in her hand around in the air.

"Well, we have enough food until tomorrow." Madison said hopefully, looking down at the grill and all the food at Kathy was preparing. It looked like she was cooking for an army, or she was just worried they actually wouldn't get out of here.

"Yeah, but Lucas and Kyle went to see if they could find some help, they should be back any minute." Kathy said standing up. Madison sighed deeply just as Kyle and Lucas came back into sight, emerging from the woods, as if on cue. Lucas looking unfazed but Kyle brushing leaves and bugs off him with every frantic step he took.

"Did you find anything?" Kathy asked, standing from her position at the camp fire.

"Yeah, we found a strange looking house up that way a little ways. They might have a phone. We're going to go back and find out, you want to come?" Kyle asked still wiping bugs from his collar.

"I'll go!" Madison said getting up from her place on the log next to Kathy.

"Cool." Kyle said beginning to walk back towards the woods.

"Who's staying here with me?" Kathy said in a whine, looking at each one of them. "I'm not going to some creepy strange house.. Even if it is our only chance."

"I will." said Lucas walking back towards camp after kissing Madison lightly on the lips.

"If we're not back in a hour..."Kyle started

"Okay." Lucas agreed with a nod. Kyle nodded back and started out in front of Madison, determination marking his stride.

* * *

It wasn't long before Madison and Kyle started up the hill towards the abandoned house. As the trees cleared, Madison saw the all glass house for the first time. She stepped back in amazement, letting a small gasp escape his lips. Stepping a few feet closer, she began to try to read the writing on the walls, it was magnificent gold and in some sort of language she couldn't quiet recognize. She'd never seen anything like it before.

"Oh, my gosh! Someone rich must live here!" She breathed as Kyle bounded towards the house in great strides. Madison turned back to take one finally glace at the wall she'd been studying before following as Kyle knocked on was they guessed was the front door.

"Hello!" Kyle yelled inside, the door swinging open on it's own. Madison and Kyle were taken back and just stood there looking inside for a moment. No one in sight.

"Should we go in?" Madison asked, a look of panic showing on her face.

"I guess. There's not another house for miles." Kyle said slowly entering the house in search of someone to help. Madison followed behind looking around cautiously. There was no one in sight in either direction from the hallway either. This house seemed almost abandoned, if not in such good condition, that's what she would have thought.

"Okay, we should split up and look for someone or a phone or something." Kyle said still looking around.

"What if we get lost?" Her face turned up to him in fear.

"Just keep taking lefts, then rights to get back." He reassured her, turning to head the opposite direction of her.

"Okay, I'll go this way." Madison said, "Meet back here in 20 minutes."

"Okay." Kyle said going to the right, as Madison went to the left.

Madison slowly walked down the hall, looking in each room before continuing. She came to a staircase that lead to the basement and she thought about if to go down or not, then decided she would. It could be the only way to find someone.

* * *

Royce sat on his car in his chamber as a noise came from the door leading down to the basement from the main floor. He sighed in contempt assuming it was most-likely David, Cyrus' evil son, come to torture them and tease them that they were locked in cages like animals. He glanced up as the figure descended the staircase and to his surprise there in the hall stood the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. He stood up fast causing Dana to look up and see this girl too. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow, look out! Snow White at 9:00!" Dana joked. Royce didn't say anything as he approached the glass slowly and looked through helplessly. She stood there in a pair of faded jeans with a slight rip in the left knee and a pale pink sleeveless sweater. Her dark blond hair shined in the florescent lights of the basement and she had it pulled back into a loose ponytail at the back of her head. She acted as if she had heard Dana and looked around to see where the voice had come from, looking mysteriously into Royce's chamber. She slowly lifted her hand to the glass, looking at the writing that was engraved into the glass. She still could not pin-point the inscription. Royce raised his hand to the glass and put it against the opposite side of the glass. He wished she could see him.

Madison let her hand fall. There was nothing there, she thought as she looked further down the hall at the other strange looking chambers, they all had different writing on them.

"What is this?" She asked herself out loud in confusion before turning to walk back up the stairs. Royce watched her go and wondered who she was. As soon as she was gone. The Jackal laughed loudly,

"Look, the Prince finally found his Princess!" He said with a laugh, "Only problem is he's dead!"

"Stop, Ryan!" Dana yelled as Royce came back to reality.

"Man, what I wouldn't do to get a piece of her." Ryan said licking his lips.

"Don't you touch her!" Royce yelled. The Jackal just laughed at him,

"You sound like a school boy!" The bound woman said with a laugh. "Besides what she want with you anyway!" Royce returned to his car and sat down with a sigh, it was hopeless anyway, he thought. She was right, the girl wouldn't even look twice at him, he was dead and decomposing anyway.

* * *

Madison returned to the upper floors of the house and looked around, there was something weird about this house. Her mind wondered as she returned to the main hall to wait for Kyle. She sat down in one of the chairs and leaned on her hand to wait, there was no one here. She had a nagging feeling they were going to be stuck in the woods for a while. 


	3. It's Starting Again

**Chapter 3**

After about 20 minutes Madison stood from her chair adjacent the front door and looked around, it must have been longer than they agreed on by now, she thought, glancing at her watch. Just then there was a frantic pounding on the front door. Madison slowly walked over to see if maybe it was Kyle, he got locked out or found another way out of the house but Kathy and Lucas stood there, staring back at her. Tears ran down her cheeks in two rivers. Madison quickly opened the doors and let them in,

"We have to get out of here now!" Screamed Kathy, tears still streaming down her face.

"Why, what's going on?" Madison asked, confusion plaguing her features.

"This is my family's house." She said, panic in her shaky voice "Only someone rebuilt it and last time I was here there were ghosts in the basement." Kathy cried, looking around frantically for something neither Madison nor Lucas knew what.

"What?" Madison asked looking around.

"Where's Kyle?" Lucas asked, letting Kathy continue in her search.

"I don't know we split up to look for a phone and he hasn't come back yet." Madison said suddenly worried. She was confused as ever. Kathy started to cry more.

"You let him go alone!" She practically yelled in frustration.

"We can't leave him!" Lucas said beginning to look around, "Kyle?" He yelled into the echo of the hallway.

"He can't hear you." Kathy answered, "These are bullet proof, sound proof, ghost proof glass walls." She said touching one, suddenly remembering everything that had happened here before. She went to remove her hand and felt a great wind move passed her and down the hall and she touched her fingers to her lips. Could it really be him? Her thoughts were interrupted when a hard vibration began to shake the floor. She knew this feeling.

There was a great groan of the house and a sound of machinery as the door began to seal.

"No!" Yelled Kathy as it closed and boards began to close up all the windows. "We're stuck in here again!" She yelled slumping to the floor in a heap.

"Kathy, what do you mean?" Madison asked sitting down next to her and wrapping a protective arm around her best friend.

"Okay, what I'm about to say is going to sound really weird and really crazy but you just have to believe me okay?" She asked. Madison shook her head okay as Kathy began to tell her story of the 13 ghosts and all about the first time in this house. Madison looked at her in disbelief as she finished her story.

"Okay, we need to find Kyle and figure out how we're going to get of this house." Lucas said looking around for something to protect themselves. He picked up the nearest candlestick holder he could find and held it in an intimidating fashion beginning to walk down the hall.

"Just don't go in the basement!" Kathy said looking around nervously, "And we need to find some of those glasses to see the ghosts." Kathy said getting up fast.

"What you mean, they don't stay in the basement?" Madison asked, following her at top speed.

"Look this house is a machine and simultaneously each one of those 12 ghosts is going to be released. There has to be someone else in the house that started this up unless Kyle did it on accident but if I remember correctly, the Angry Princess is the first to be released. So she should be out somewhere. We need the glasses to be able to see them, otherwise, we'll be sitting ducks for them to attack and mutilate" Kathy said walking ahead to the library, she could hear his voice in her head telling her it was the only safe place in the entire house. Madison and Lucas looked at each other with suspicion,

"The Angry Princess?" Madison asked. She was beginning to question Kathy's sanity.

* * *

In the basement, Dana's chamber opened and she looked around, surprised. They hadn't heard the machine start for anyone else enter the house but somehow, the countdown had begun again.

"What's going on?" She asked, raising her knife in defense. "I guess it's time for those humans to die." She said looking around.

"Dana, don't do anything stupid!" Royce said, "Shut the machine down first!" He said, "Then we'll kill whoever gets in our way of getting out of here."

Dana shook her head heading towards the machine room at the end of the hall, looking around cautiously.

* * *

Madison, Kathy, and Lucas now had on some glasses to see the ghosts and slowly walked towards the basement door. The this was the only place left to search for Kyle. They had had searched everywhere else looking for their missing friend, this was a last resort. Madison slowly made her way down the stairs first with Lucas close behind her, gripping her hand to keep her close. She was about half way down the stairs before she realized that there was 3 chambers already open. She stepped back quickly before she spotted the first ghost in a closed chamber. Madison looked to the first chamber and saw a teenage boy looking back at her, he was half burnt and the other half was a very cute young man about her age with pale skin and striking blue orbs. He stared back at her as she approached the glass. He stood from his place on the hood of an old t-bird car and swung his baseball bat in one hand; smiling slightly at her. Madison took a deep breathe as Lucas came up next to her, gripping her shoulder tightly with his firm grip.

"Wow, He looks like he's been through a war! Looks like he's old enough to have been through one too. Look at the clothes, probably died in the 50's." Lucas said with a chuckle.

"Lucas! They can probably hear us! We don't want to agitate them." She said looking back at Royce with a sympatric look. She put her hand back to the glass as she did before when she had been down there. He had been there before and she hadn't even known it. Kathy pulled her to go with them towards the end of the hall, Madison's eyes still locked with the first ghosts. Kathy was looking at the other ghosts as they passed and trying to remember which ghost were out now and which ones he had warned them about. God, she wished he was here. Glancing behind them again, she prayed he was in a better place now and that his soul was finally free from all the sins he had committed during his time alive. She just hoped she'd see him again someday.

"I think it's the angry princess, the first son, and the bound woman so far. Next is the withered love." She said as they passed her. "Then the Jackal. I hope we're gone by the time he gets out because he's a mean one!" Kathy said walking into the machine room, the heavy door slamming open. Dana turned as they entered and Madison jumped back at the sight of the girl's cut flesh.

"Oh, God!" She said as Dana looked them up and down, almost scanning them to see if they were a danger to her or her mission to shut the machine down.

"Look, we're not here to hurt you!" Madison said trying to back up out of the room, "We're just looking for our friend and he's not here so we'll go now." Madison said.

"Stop!" Dana said raising her knife threateningly. They all stopped in their tracks and turned back to her. Madison let a small whimper escape her lips.

"How do you stop this?" Dana's meek voice sounded in their ears. She looked back at the machine, almost studying it. Kathy looked at her surprised that she hadn't tried to kill her like last time,

"You can speak?" She asked, a little confused, beginning to let her guard down.

"Yes, we're ghosts not mimes." She said looking back at the machine again. "I need to stop the machine and open just a couple chambers. We don't want to let them all out." Dana had lowered the knife to waist length, keeping it in hand in case the moment arose that she needed it.

"We don't know how to stop it." Madison said in a whisper. Dana looked back at them and then at the machine,

"Well, who started it?" She asked, her voice sounding accusing.

"We don't know that either." Kathy said. Dana looked at her and stepped towards her. Kathy tensed up, maybe it would be like last time. She prayed if this was the end that Dennis would be there to meet her. She closed her eyes tightly to brace for the coming pain. It never came as Dana stopped mere inches from Kathy's throat.

"I know you from somewhere." She said, moving the knife in front of Kathy's face. "You were here last time?" Dana pointed the knife towards her.

"Yes. This is my families house." Kathy nervously answered, shifting back and forth on her feet.

"So you're responsible for all this!" Dana asked as the next ghost was released from it' confinement.

"No, I don't even know who had this house rebuilt. I haven't been here since the last time! I have no idea who put you here." Kathy said all at once in a slur of words.

"Try you're cousin." Dana said with a laugh, still waving the knife in the air.

"My cousin?" Kathy seemed confused as ever, was she really having a conversation with a ghost and finding out about another crazy relative that she didn't know about?

"Yeah, Cyrus' son." Dana said a little louder to make sure Kathy heard her.

"I didn't know!" Kathy yelled back, who did this ghost think she was to be yelling at her?

"Do you know anything?" Dana yelled back, suddenly raising the knife again. Kathy backed down, slowly beginning to back out of the room, she had gotten her angry.

"Go!" Kathy yelled as Madison was the first out the door, running the other way down the hall. Dana began to chase them as they ran passed the other chambers, each ghost watching with either delight or curiosity. Kathy and Lucas were at the stairs when Madison slipped in front of the Prince's chamber and Dana hovered over her with her knife drawn up.

"Dana!" Screamed Royce from inside his chamber. Madison looked at the Prince as Lucas grabbed her, pulling her out from under the Angry Princess. Dana looked back at her and they were up the stairs before she could catch them again.

"Damn, Royce! I could have taken care of that little slut before you even got out of there and she wouldn't be a distraction anymore!" Dana yelled waving her knife in the air absently. Royce sighed sitting back on his car as Dana went back to work in the machine room. The Jackal sat in his chamber hearing the argument and suddenly got an idea in his head; making up his mind to do it, since he was the next one out.


	4. The Kiss

**Chapter 4**

Lucas sat Madison down at the table in the library to check on her injuries as soon as they got up the stairs and away from the crazy ghosts.

"Are you alright?" He asked looking at her, concern in his eyes. She smiled softly at him to reassure him that she was fine. She placed her hand on his cheek and stroked his soft skin with her thumb.

"Yeah, it's just a scratch!" She said of the cut on her face and one on her shoulder. She looked down at the floor as Lucas nodded and looked around for something to clean up them up with. He found some water on the bar, someone had been her recently, probably that cousin of Kathy's. Lucas shook his head in distain and began to clean up Madison's cuts a bit with some water and his shirt. Why did he help me? Madison wondered to herself, not letting on what she was thinking about. As soon as she could, she wanted to find that ghost again and talk to him. There was just something about him that she was drawn to.

"The Torn Prince." She said low.

"What?" Lucas asked, not hearing what she said.

"Nothing." She said with a slight smile, watching him continue to clean up her scratches.

* * *

The Jackal was released next and he stood up slowly after his chamber was opened. He looked around and took a deep breathe of air in,

"It's good to be free again." He said with a smile. "Now, about those humans." He said beginning to walk towards the stairs.

"Ryan!" Royce yelled as he passed his chamber but Ryan didn't even look at him, just kept walking. "Come on!" Royce yelled at the door to open, banging a fist into the glass only to receive a jolt of energy through his body. He backed up quickly.

* * *

"This looks to be the safest room." Kathy said as she read the writing on the walls. "You want to come with me to find Kyle or stay with Madison? She should be fine here." Kathy said looking back at Lucas. Lucas looked down at Madison. She saw her chance to find the Prince,

"Go, I'll be fine. This room is safe, you heard Kathy." She said touching his hand and giving it a tight squeeze.

"Okay, we'll be back in a few minutes, don't go anywhere." Lucas said leaving with Kathy. Madison waited a few seconds before she stood up and went to the door. Kathy and Lucas had gone the other direction as Madison wanted to go, so she snuck back to the basement door and began down the stairs.

* * *

Kyle had gotten lost somehow in the endless turns of the hall and ended up in some sort of lab.

"This is ridiculous. The house is glass, I should be able to see my way back." He mumbled, walking to the entrance of this room and opening the door to leave. He was met by a severely cold breeze and forced back into the room, the gust closing the door behind it.

"What the hell?" He asked himself, looking at the shelving unit he'd been blown into. He spotted a pair of glasses sitting on the self and got the distinct feeling they weren't for reading. He reached out, slowly putting them over his nose to reveal a badly cut naked woman standing in front of him, a knife clutched in her right hand.

"Oh, God!" He yelled jumping back into the shelf, to get away from her before she stabbed him.

"What are you doing here?" She asked in her coldest voce, trying to scare him.

"Nothing, I swear. Some friends of mine and I got stranded in the woods nearby. Our car won't start. I swear!" He pleaded, moving as far away as possible.

"Did you start the machine?" She questioned still angry from the last set of teens.

"No, I swear, I didn't touch anything!" He was almost to the door when she blocked it, raising the knife to his throat.

"So why shouldn't I kill you now?" She asked, running the blade across his skin.

"Maybe I can help you figure a way to shut this thing down?" He thought fast. He was smart, got straight A's in most of his classes. IT couldn't be that hard in exchange for his life. She seemed to ponder the thought for a moment before lowering the knife.

"Okay, but the first time you screw up, I'll kill you myself." She threatened as he nodded feverously.

* * *

The sound of machinery was louder than before since it was powering up faster and the Jackal's chamber was now open.Madison slowly put her glasses back on, that she had dropped on the floor when she fell and she looked at Royce within his glass prison. Slowly, she walked towards him and stood in front of the glass, her heart beating fast in her chest.

"Why did you help me?" She asked touching the glass with her fingertips. Royce looked up at the sound of her voice and walked slowly to the glass, his bat in hand.

"You shouldn't be down here by yourself. Heck, you shouldn't be down here at all, dolly." He said in a big brother tone. She looked offended at first then intrigued.

"Why?" She asked again. "I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." He sighed.

"because I don't want to hurt anyone anymore." He said looking at her. "But not everyone feels the same way." He motioned to the other ghosts, silently pacing in their chambers. She cringed slightly, returning her gaze to him.

"What's your name?"

"Royce." He said, moving back from the glass again. "Madison?" He asked, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah." She said, "Listen, we just got trapped in here. We didn't put you in here or anything." She just wanted to make sure he knew this.

"I know, Dana's just frustrated." He said of his friend, the angry princess.

"Oh." She said looking down at her tennis shoes.

"You better get back upstairs, dolly. Before one of the other ghosts come back." He said, again in the big brother tone.

She laughed slightly, "Dolly?" She murmured with a laugh.

"Dolly." He said with a smile, "I was born in the 40's" He said "Now, go before I get out and take you back up there myself!" He said turning away from her to signal the conversation was over. Madison turned to go back up the stairs with a huff but was confronted by the Jackal standing in her way.

"Hey, there gorgeous!" He yelled with a laugh. Madison screamed at the sight as Royce turned around in his chamber.

"Ryan!" He yelled banging on the glass, receiving another jolt, he didn't really care at this point. The Jackal grabbed Madison by the arms and ripped her jacket off with his claws. Madison screamed louder for help. The Jackal covered her mouth with his hand and threw Madison to the ground as he jumped on top of her.

"Dana! Someone!" Royce screamed but no other freed ghost was in sight. Madison screamed again as Ryan ripped her shirt clean off, leaving small cuts all over her body and face. She tried to push him off her but he was too strong.

"Come on, honey! You know you like it!" The Jackal yelled as he began to reach down for her jeans. Just then a buzzer went off and Royce's door opened with a bang. Royce shot to the hall and struck the Jackal with his bat in the back, causing Ryan to lose his balance and fall to the floor next to Madison. Royce hit him again and again until the Jackal slithered away in pain.

"You'll regret that, Prince!" The Jackal promised, moving quickly in the opposite direction. Royce watches him go then looked down at Madison who was curled up in a ball on the ground.

"Madison?" He asked, using his bat as a crutch and kneeling down next to her. Dana came running in the basement through another door and saw what was happening.

"What happened?" She asked, "I heard you yell I was at the other end of the basement." She said looking down.

"Ryan's what happened!" He yelled taking off his jacket and wrapping it around Madison's shoulders. He sat her up slowly as she was crying and bleeding from the small cuts on her stomach and cheek. She clung to Royce as he lifted her up slowly from the ground. He began to make his way back up to the first floor and he quickly found the first bedroom on that floor and put her down on the bed looking down at her for a second. Madison looked up at him with a tear stained face and reached for his hand.

"Royce? Don't leave!" She asked clinging to his hand. "I don't want to be alone. What if he comes back?" She reasoned, gripping his cold hand. He sat down slowly and rubbed her hand with his thumb.

"Alright, I'll stay, Dolly." He said looking around for a second. Madison looked up at him as he slowly lowered his head and touched their lips together in a fiery kiss. Madison didn't stop him; his lips felt slightly cold to the touch. She wrapped an arm around his neck as their kiss deepened. Royce pulled away a little, kissing her a quick kiss before he heard footsteps. Lucas and Kathy burst into the room in search of their second missing friend and saw Madison.

"Guys.." Madison started to explain but Royce ran out of the room before they could say anything to him.


	5. It Can Never Be

**Chapter 5**

After making sure her best friend was sound asleep, Kathy stepped quietly from the bedroom she was once going to call her own and wondered down the hall. A gentle breeze fell on her and she stopped with a smile, bring her glasses to her face. A smile lit on her face for the first time all day.

"I knew that was you." He smile back at her a soft yet strong presence,

"What? You think I was going to let you come back in here alone… Unprotected?" He asked, leaning against the wall in his usually cocky fashion. Kathy shook her head,

"How do I know it's really you and not something I'm imagining to help myself make t through. To help myself remember what you would do." Her eyes pleaded for him to actually be there. He smile a little, looking down.

"You don't. I don't even know if I'm here or not. But I'll always be with you, like a few weeks ago at prom when you kick you date's ass because he was getting friendly in the limo." She smiled again, meeting his gaze on the floor.

"That sounds like something you'd say." She chuckled a bit. His face became stern again,

"I just wish I could touch you again." He whispered softly. "Your flashes…they always helped me to forget the person I was and make me realize the person I wanted to be." She slowly reached out a hand and gripped his.

"You can touch me, this house lets you." She whispered, placing his hand to her cheek. He gasped, feeling the touch of another for the first time in over a year. He pulled her to him roughly and devoured her lips with his.

"I love you, Dennis." She breathed between kisses.

"I love you too." He whispered back, finally breaking the kiss. He held her to his chest,

"I've missed you so much." He continued to whisper, stroking her hair from her face.

"I wish we had more time when you were alive, instead of just that one night here." She spoke into his cold chest.

"I know but I love you just the same." They stood there for a long moment just share each others embrace.

* * *

Later that night, Madison sat up in the soft folds of bed that she had fallen asleep in earlier. She was still wearing his jacket and she slowly put her arms in the sleeves before looking around for any sign of movement. Lucas came out of the bathroom and looked at her.

"Madison! Honey, what happened?" He asked taking her in his arms. "Was it that ghost boy? Did he do this to you?" He asked looking at the jacket and all the scraps and cuts.

"No, Royce didn't do this!" She said trying to explain that he saved her.

"Royce?" He asked

"Yes, Royce didn't do this, it was that jackal ghost!" She said looking around for any sign of the boy.

"Wait a minute! What were you doing down there in the first place? I told you to stay in the library." Lucas asked starting to get annoyed.

"I just wanted to talk to Royce. He saved me twice!" She said with a smile.

"I don't care! You're never talking to him again. For God sakes, he's a ghost! You can't have a relationship with a ghost, even just a friendship." Lucas yelled.

"Lucas..." She started.

"No, I forbid it!" He yelled. Madison looked at him shocked,

"Since when are you my Father!" She asked loudly.

"Since you accepted to put that ring on your finger and promise to marry me!" He yelled. "Now, why don't you try to get some rest and Kyle, Kathy and I will be in the library."

"You found Kyle?" She asked

"Yeah, he was wandering around down by the labs, talking about ghosts." He said before leaving the room. Madison tightened Royce's jacket around herself and laid back down.

"Who does he think he is?" She asked as she heard the door squeak open. No one was there. She sat up and put her glasses on to see Royce standing in the doorway, a nervous expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, were you sleeping? I can come back." He said turning to leave again.

"No!" She said sitting up, "Come in." Royce stepped in the room and quietly shut the door behind him walking over to the bed and sitting on the edge.

"Are you okay?" He asked touching her face softly. His hand was rough but she really didn't care. Madison liked the feeling of his hand on her face and she leaned into it slightly.

"Yeah, I'm okay." She said with a sigh. She closed her eyes for a second and Royce leaned in. As their lips met, Madison's eyes shot open and she pushed him back.

"Royce!" She said wetting her lips a bit.

"I'm sorry." He said getting up.

"Royce, look I have a fiancé." She said as he turned around. She showed him the ring and he smiled a little.

"Oh, I see. You've already been promised. I bet you've had a boyfriend since you were 6 years old for every year haven't you?" He asked. Madison laughed.

"Well..."

"See, because a fine dolly like you is the kind that is never single for too long if some lucky fella hasn't snatched you up already. I guess I'm just late by a few decades. I'm just being silly anyways, I mean what would you want with a ghost anyway." He said before turning to leave.

"Royce?" She said again. He turned around at the door. She wanted to tell him to stay, she wanted to explore the possibilities and not just leave it at that but instead she said "What about your jacket?" She asked. He smiled at her,

"Keep it! Just remember me when you wear it." He said before he opened the door and faded out of sight. Madison looked down and rubbed the fabric of the coat between her fingers and wished there was something she could do but he was a ghost and she was engaged.

* * *

Royce re-entered the basement as Dana looked over at him.

"How's the Princess?" She asked with a sigh, momentarily forgetting abut finding that boy who promised to help her..

"She'll be fine." He said re-entering his chamber and laying down on his car to look up through the glass floor.

"What's wrong?" She asked walking into his chambers with him.

"Nothing." He said turning away.

"Oh, she didn't like you that way?" She asked, trying to comfort him.

"No, I didn't even get a chance to say anything about that. She's getting married." He said with a sigh.

"Oh, Royce. I'm sorry." Dana said touching his shoulder lightly.

"Ha Ha!" The Jackal laughed. "I told you. She'd never want anything to do with one of us. We're dead, she's alive!" Royce didn't say anything back, as a tear ran down his cheek.

"I think I'm falling in love with her." Royce said wiping away the stray tear and picking up his bat. "So what do you say we kick some human ass and get outta here." Royce said leading the way to the machine room. Dana followed him, stopping to contemplate her own human dilemma.


	6. Stay with Me

**Chapter 6**

Madison sat in her dimly lit room crying slightly into the soft fabric of Royce's torn jacket. Just from that small kiss, Madison knew she was falling for a ghost and there was nothing she could do about it. How was she suppose to explain this to anyone, let alone Lucas. She was in love with someone she could never be with. Someone who existed in a different time, someone who respected her and her opinions and was man enough to back off when she asked. She loved him more for that than anything else. She stood up as there was another jolt to the house, she heard another chamber open in the basement and free another ghost, 3 more to go she thought as she made her way down to the library. It was now are never.

* * *

Kyle cautiously looked in either direction of the hall before stepping out of the library, bound for the lab in which he had first saw the tormented ghost that had threatened his life. Walking swiftly down the hall, he glanced behind him every few seconds to make sure he wasn't followed. He made it to the door and pulled it open with a strong pull and the room was empty, the coldness of the house seemed to gather in this particular room, sending a shiver down Kyle's spine. He moved his right hand onto in uncovered left arm and rubbed the cool skin in an effort to keep warm. What was he doing back here, that crazy bitch almost killed him last time and here he was in search of her? He sighed deeply, turning to leave the room, this had been a bad idea.

"Wait." A voice sounded behind him. He stopped in his tracks and listened to the faint noise for someone moving behind him. He heard the clank of what sounded like a knife being dropped on the hard metal counter top.

"Don't go yet." Dana's voice was now closer behind him. He took a deep breathe and turned to find her eyes staring up at him in confusion.

"Why did you come back?" She asked quietly, stepping a foot closer to him. He shook his head a little.

"I don't know. I just wanted to see you again." He said quietly. She let a smile play softly on her lips.

"Oh, so this is how Royce feels." She whispered a little. "Come on! You can help me figure this machine out." She whispered, pulling him towards the basement, grabbing her knife up on the way.

* * *

Lucas and Kathy sat around the table at the library, silently wondering what to do next, maybe just wait it out in the confines of these walls until it all blow over. No, obviously whoever started the machine was still somewhere in the house. They both looked up at her as she stepped in the door.

"No." She said looking at Lucas, he kept his back to her, pretending he didn't hear her.

"What?" Kathy asked confusion marking her face.

"No, I will not stay away from Royce and if that means that I have to give you this back, then take it!" She said taking off her engagement ring and handing it to Lucas. When he wouldn't take it, she sat it on the table in front of him. He growled low and grabbed the ring up in his hand, clutching it with anger. He stood up from the table as Kathy looked on, moving to remove herself from the tense situation. Madison stood her ground as Lucas stepped closer to her, trying to weaken her willpower. She would not back down, this was her decision to make, even if she could never be with Royce, even if they only had a few minutes, she knew without a doubt she could never marry Lucas. He raised his hand to hit her but stopped himself as she winced, bracing for the impact. Before she opened her eyes he was gone past her, his determined footsteps heading towards the basement. Madison turned to follow him, softly cursing that he couldn't keep this between them, as he found Royce slumped over the control panel of the machine, Dana and Kyle trying to help him.

"Hey, Royce?" He said as Royce looked up. Lucas punched him across the face and they started to fight, punches were exchanged on either side.

"Royce!" Madison yelled as other ghosts got in on the fight and attacked Lucas. They were going to kill him if he didn't stop. Kyle finally pulled Lucas off Royce and Dana calmed the other ghosts down.

"Alright! Alright!" Lucas yelled calming down, "You want this bitch so bad, you can have her!" Lucas yelled pushing Madison at Royce who grabbed her, wrapping a protective arm around her, before staring down at her with concerned eyes. Lucas walked away fast, avoiding the ghosts that were still itching for a fight. Royce looked down at Madison again, who was crying against his chest now, completely confused about the situation.

"Hey, Hey, what happened?" He asked turning her face up to his. The other ghosts began to leave the room, leaving only Madison and Royce. Dana pulled Kyle to the door, promising they'd come back later to figure out the machine.

"He told me not to talk to you again and I told him he couldn't make my decisions for me. I called off the engagement." She said with a small laugh. "I'm single for the first time in my life." She said touching his face. "And, I know this is going to sound crazy but I want to be with you." Royce smiled down at her with laugh, almost not believing what was coming out of her mouth.

"Dolly, I'm a ghost. We can't be together." He said touching her face. "It wouldn't be normal."

"Who needs normal?" She asked hugging him to her with everything in her.

"You do, you deserve nothing but the best and I'll just ruin your life." Royce said taking her hands off him and turning away, returning to his work. He tried to concentrate on something else, anything else to keep his mind off the beautiful girl standing behind him that wanted nothing more than to be with him.

"Royce, you haven't ruined anything! Royce I've been dying slowly for months now and you pulled me back." She said turning him around, She grabbed his head with her hands and pressed her lips hard to his. Royce forgot what he was doing, quickly dropping the metal pipe he had been examining and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He pressed her to him more in a passionate urgency of their fleeing minutes together. Madison broke the kiss and pulled back slightly looking in his eyes.

"How many more ghosts have to be released?" She asked, realizing this was it, this could be the last time he'd ever hold her, the last time he'd see her. Royce looked at the machine.

"2 more." He said looking back at her, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes. Madison shut the door and locked it.

"I don't know if this is a good idea dolly!" He said as she kissed him again pulling off his shirt.

"Royce, I don't care. If these are our last moments together I want to be with you." She said as continued to kiss his face. "Royce please!" She pleaded. He grabbed her up in his arms. laying her down on the hard floor. Madison groaned as he pulled his jacket off of her and what remained of her clothes beneath.

"Madison, I need to tell you something." He said looking down at her again.

"Okay." She said a little concerned.

"I've... I've never done this before so if I'm bad..."

"Royce, Neither have I." She said touching his face. He smiled brightly now and started to kiss her again. "Royce, sometime during this whole nightmare I fell in love with you." She softly whispered in his ear.

"I've love you since the first moment I saw you." Madison began to cry and clung to Royce with all her strength,

"What's wrong, baby?" Royce asked kissing Madison.

"I can't let you go! I won't! Royce we have to find a way." She cried.

"I'm not going anywhere, dolly. I'm going to try as hard as I can to stay with you." He said beginning to feel the tears welt up in his own eyes. They kissed again and Royce started to fade out.

"Oh no!" She yelled holding onto him but all she felt was thin air.

"I love you!" He said before fading out. Madison was left alone, the cold room becoming more obvious to her exposed skin. She cried as she felt the warm spot on the floor beside her, then she heard the chants start. This was it.


	7. A Soul for a Soul

**Chapter 7**

Madison listened to the chants for a few more seconds before grabbing her clothes quickly, searching for Royce's jacket but she realized it must have disappeared with him. She quickly tied up the rips in her shirt before running out of the room to find Royce. What she saw made her gasp in horror as all 12 ghosts were in a circle rotating around a spinning hole to create an eye. The machine was draining all the power out of the ghosts and of the house as the lights flickered on and off. Madison looked at him, her eyes welting up in tears, he looked to be in a trance.

"Royce!" She yelled coming to stand next to Kathy and Kyle. He looked at her, fear marking their expressions. Lucas had decided to stay in the library, what a big surprise, Madison thought. Royce didn't move as the ghosts continue to rotate, a strange chant being echoed throughout the house. Madison took a step closer but Kathy stopped her,

"No, Maddie! If you go in that eye it opens the eye of hell on earth. Even Royce can't save you from that." Kathy's eyes bore into hers with a fear Madison had never since her friend express before. Madison stepped back a half step and stared at Royce across the circle. She wanted to be with him right now, she wanted to stop this.

"Well, how do we stop it?" She asked looking around.

"You don't!" Lucas said coming up behind them with David Kriticos at his side. Madison searched his eyes for the man she fell in love with but found a cold killer. Looking down to his hand, she found a gun pointing back at her.

"It was you?" Madison asked, staring back at the man she was suppose to marry. Lucas smiled with evil.

"I just had to get you 3 up here for 10 grand. It seemed easy besides I was looking to get rid of you anyway." Lucas said looking at Madison. She looked at him in disgust and back at Royce.

"You can save your love and yourself if you just jump in the eye." Lucas said with a laugh. "That way you can be with your lover for eternity."

"No, Madison! He's lying!" Kathy yelled, "You jump in, we all die!" David grasped a hand over her mouth to keep her quiet.

"Go to Hell, Lucas!" Madison screamed, backing away from him.

"No, that's where you're going!" He yelled grabbing her around the waist. She fought back with everything in her, punching Lucas in the chest. David knocked out Kyle and threw his cousin to the floor, grinding his shoe into her face. She screamed out in pain just as a gust of wind blew through the open door and knocked David to the wall. Kathy sat up, meeting Dennis' soft blue eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking back at David. A scream rang out and they both looked back to the scene in front of them. Madison struggled to break free from Lucas' grasp but he was too strong as he carried her towards the ring of ghosts, preparing to throw her in.

"No!" She yelled as she kicked out her legs, trying to get away from her former fiancé. Just as they reached the ring of ghosts, Royce was turning in front of them. Madison grabbed a hold of Royce by the arm and held on, throwing off the machine's process. Lucas felt his feet begin to drag on the floor and he stepped unto the circle, Madison still fighting to get away. She would not be the cause of he friends getting hurt. Lucas turned with his back to the hole as he tried to pull Madison off of Royce.

"Royce, Wake up! I need you! You said you wouldn't leave me!" She yelled out as she kicked at Lucas. "Royce!" She yelled again just as she kicked Lucas right in the face, knocking him into the circle. Madison's entire body weight fell on Royce. Lucas fell into the center and Madison fell onto Royce, knocking him out of the circle. In a split second, Lucas replaced Royce in the circle, turning in formation with the others. Dennis and Kathy looked on in confusion.

"How did that happen?" She asked, looking up at Dennis. He looked back to the circle.

"I thought it wasn't possible but I thin Lucas feel into the eye just as Madison knocked Royce out, causing the circle to become incomplete. The circle needed to be complete before the eye can opened, so the machine replaced what it needed to complete the sequence." Madison lay on the floor looking up to see Lucas, who was now in a trance and breathed deeply, turning in rotation with the other ghosts. She closed her eyes and sighed, laying her head on, Royce's fallen body and realized she heard something. She moved her head a bit higher to his chest and heard the distinct beat of a heart.

"Is he alive?" Kathy asked, realizing Madison and Royce with both breathing.

"A soul for a soul." Dennis said with a smile, laughing a bit. Kathy looked up at Dennis in hope but his smiled faded.

"No, Kath. It's better that I'm dead. I'm not in pain anymore, the way I was." A stray tear fell down her cheek as he wiped it away with his thumb. She nodded in agreement.

"I'll always be with you, whether you can see me or not." He reassured her.

Madison quickly looked up and saw Royce, his face and right side whole again and breathing heavily. He let out a cough, releasing some dust that had caught in his throat when they fell. Madison sat up with a jolt and looked around frantically.

"Oh, my god!" She said looking down at him. Royce opened his eyes slowly and looked around but stopped when he saw Madison sitting next to him. She was smiling at him.

"Oh, Dolly. I've got one hell of a headache." He said touching his head with his hand. He looked at it in confusion, there was no missing skin, no burns. Then he realized that his face was whole again. He reached for his chest and that was whole.

"Madison? What happened?" He asked looking around. She didn't answer him, just threw her arms around him in excitement, screaming with glee.

"Oh, Royce! You're alive!" She said taking off her glasses to look at him. He kissed her, a smile forming on his lips. He had never felt this alive even when he was alive the first time. They hugged, not wanting to let go of each other. He looked towards the circle and couldn't see the ghosts, just the metal machine turning.

"Let me?" He asked as he took the glasses and saw his former fellow ghosts with the addition of Lucas circling the eye. "Lucas and I must have switched places somehow." He said beginning to walk towards the exit to go to the basement.

"Not so fast!" David yelled from across the room, standing back up from when Dennis had knocked him down. Royce looked at him and realized who he was.

"David Kriticos." He said with a snicker.

"Yes, I caught you, remember?" He asked with a smile, pulling a gun from his jacket.

"Now, one of you are going to jump into that eye and I don't care which one!" He yelled.

"Aren't you scared?" Royce asked with a slight smile, picking up his disguarded bat from the floor where it lay.

"Of what?" David asked confused, a slight picture of evil marking his face.

"Of me?" Royce asked, trying his best to be intimidating.

"You, no!" David said with a laugh. "You, a former ghost."

"You should be!" Royce said before he struck David in the arm with his bat, knocking the gun to the floor. He swung the bat forcefully and smashed into the side of the head of David knocking him to the floor. Dennis moved Kathy out of the way.

"Get out of here. Get your friends and get out of here." He motioned for Kathy to go. She shook her head no.

"I won't leave you again." She whispered, clinging to him with all her might.

"You have to. I promise you'll see me again." Kathy knew he was right, they needed to find a way out of here before David used them in his plot to finish his father's dream.

"I love you." She whispered, kissing him one more time before turning to the fallen Kyle, who was knocked out on the floor.

"Kyle?" She asked shaking him. He stirred slightly and surveyed the scene in front of him.

"We need to get Madison and get out of here." Kathy said, lifting him from the floor.


	8. Explosion

**Chapter 8**

Royce and David continued to fight, Madison rushed to the basement to see if she could shut down the machine. She had to try.

"You're just like your father...heartless." Royce said swinging again, David had grabbed a sword from the wall statue, swinging it around his body. The ghosts continued to circle in a trace, not knowing what was going on behind them. Kathy pulled Kyle out of the room and towards the door even though they couldn't get out. She wanted to get as far away as possible from the ensuing fight.

Madison stood in the computer room looking over the control panel, what went to what? She asked herself. Finally she started to press buttons, the first one did nothing that she could see. She hit another, this one made a groaning noise and the house began to open. Kathy saw the door opening and rushed to pull Kyle out. She let a few tears fall from here eyes.

"Goodbye Dennis." She whispered.

Madison heard the house groan and tried another button, this one started a count down, to what? She didn't know, a countdown to explosion.

"Guys, get out!" She yelled running out of the basement. Royce and David continued to fight as Madison hit the top step of the basement stair.

"Royce, Come on!" She yelled, waiting for him at the door.

"You go, dolly. I'll be right behind you!" He yelled struggling to keep David a bay from reaching her. Madison hesitated but ran after Kyle and Kathy, who were laying outside in the grass about 30 feet away. They had gotten as far away as possible before collapsing in the soft spring yard. Madison got half way to them and looked back, she didn't see Royce.

"I...I have to go back!" She yelled at Kathy.

"Maddie, NO!" She yelled sitting up to chase her, Madison was almost to the house when everything went silent and the house exploded into a ball of flames. She was throw back on the grass from the blast.

She laid there for a minute and then sat up coughing. The house was on fire and the walls were coming down. She screamed in horror.

"NO!" She yelled crying out and then breaking down into tears. "Royce..."She sobbed. She had just officially gotten him back and now she'd lost him again. Kathy ran up to her, hugging her as she cried.

"Maddie..."

"NO, he can't be gone...Royce, you said you'd follow me!" She cried into Kathy's shirt. Kathy looked at the ruined house and thought she saw movement, it was the ghosts leaving. One by one, they walked out of the ashes and were absorbed into the atmosphere.

Kyle sat up from the grass, wiping his glasses on his already ruined shirt. Dana was one of the last to emerge from the ruins. Kyle ran forward, meeting her as she started to fade.

"Kyle, I'm sorry." She whispered, her figure getting lighter.

"I'll never forget you." He said as she disappeared. He looked to the sky for a moment. Lucas was the last of the ghosts to exit, looking confused before being absorbed. Then David came stumbling out the ashes and looked around confused as he began to fade, he screamed and then was gone.

Kathy looked around but there was no Royce. His ghost hadn't exited the building. Then a figure appeared from the side of the house, it was Royce, he began to walk towards them, Madison saw him and gasped in relief.

"Royce?" She asked, he was slow, not moving that fast, Cathy thought he was beginning to fade, she turned away and cried a little for Madison. He kept walking towards them and Madison got up to run to him.

"Royce!" She yelled.

"Madison!" He finally yelled back. She ran to him and Kathy thought she'd fall right though but when Madison reached Royce he grabbed her up in his arms and held her as close as he could.

"Don't ever leave me again..."She said holding him, he groaned from holding her in the air and put her down. Madison looked at him.

"What's wrong?" She asked. He opened his jacket and showed her that he was cut from the sword David has been fighting with.

"He got me before I threw him into the statue with the other sword on it. Then I ran, I found a secret exit out the back and took it just as it went silent." He said sitting down in the grass.

"Oh, Royce...we need to get you to a doctor." Madison looked up at him with worried eyes.

"Okay." He said winching to stand.


	9. 6 Months Later

6 Months Later

The rain fell from the darkened sky, pinging on the tin roof on the nearly deserted army base. Royce watched as a few drops of water dripped from the barred window and down on the small cot they called a bed. Leaning his head back against the cold wall he waited for some sign of life. Friend or foe, he just wanted to see a face other than the kind old man that brought him dinner every night. It had been nearly a month since they'd throw him down here, the food only supporting his life so he wouldn't die. To die, that seemed like the better option at this point anyway. He could handle death again but not what they were doing to him. Letting his eyes fall shut, he remembered the events that led up to this point.

The hospital room had been cold and foreign, the only warmth he felt was her hand laced with his as they waited for a doctor to come in. He rested his head against the soft pillow and silently traced the lights with his eyes. It had been so long since he'd felt anything but cold, emptiness. Everything happening at once had put him in a state of shock.

"Are you alright?" Her soft voice interrupted his thoughts and he smiled,

"I'm fine, I'm just thinking." He turned his head to look at her beautiful face in the chair next to him. She smiled back, wrapped her fingers tighter around his. It had really been luck that they made it to the road and found a truck that was willing to give them a ride to the next town. Now sitting in a hospital room, Royce wondered where they would go from here. The door creaked as it opened to reveal a man in a white coat looking over some charts as he walked in.

"Hello, I'm doctor Williams… You must be Royce?" He asked, taking a second look at the chart.

"Yes, I am." He said, trying to move to a sitting position.

"Now Royce, it's my understanding you were in a fight?" He asked, finally looking up at the boy sitting in front of him.

"Uh…" Royce looked at Madison for the answer, she quickly chimed in,

"Yes. He doesn't remember much, it all happened so fast." She cooed, trying her best to charm the doctor. He smiled politely,

"Okay, well, we'll get you sewn up and on your way." He said, almost cheerful. The doctor turned away and washed his hands before getting a pair of gloves on to put in some stitches. The procedure was over before it started and Royce moved with ease, getting down off the uncomfortable bed.

"I'll just give your paperwork to the nurse and she'll get you released." He smiled, exiting the room with a click of the door. Royce sighed with a relief that no one had asked about where he had come from. He pulled his shirt back over his head and Madison stood to open the door for him. They walked slowly to the front counter and stood in front of the young women in the bright white.

"Royce?" She asked looking somewhat confused at her computer screen.

"Yes…" He said, gripping Madison's hand in his own, he felt his heart rate begin to quicken with nervousness.

"Oh, well, it's just strange. You're social security number comes up as deceased. Is this the correct number?" The young woman asked, pushing a chart across the counter to him. He looked down at it, revealing his mistake in putting his correct information.

"Um…" His voice sounded of contemplation as e searched for a way out of the situation. Madison's hand tightened on his and she moved to look over the paper work with him.

"I'm sorry. He's got a head injury as well… I don't have any of his information.." She tried to smile again at the nurse but by the looks of it the nurse had pulled up Royce's file in her computer because she was looking it over with a look of confusion before picking up her phone.

"You know, we really need to go. Just send us a bill.." Madison said trying to pull Royce down the hall towards the exit.

"Stop!" She heard from behind them but quickened the pace. The feeling of another set of hands closing over his upper arm and the sound of Madison's yelp of surprise.

That was the last time he had seen the beautiful girl he had came back to life for. Now he was government property for them to experiment on. They'd never seen a dead person come back to life. They wanted to know how it was physically possible. Royce banged his head back against the cold concrete in frustration. He was more angry at himself than even the men that put him here. Letting his eyes close to his solitude he prayed for death to take him over again. No such luck, he finally realized after about 10 minutes of talking to himself. Her face was the only thing that kept him sane anymore, even if he'd never see it again. He should have just gone with the rest of the ghosts when they were freed. It would have been hard on Madison but this was probably killing her. Touching his head with his hand, he waited for anything, for some sound of something up nothing came. Closing his eyes, he felt sleep take him over and he drifted off into dreamland.

Bang!

The noise shocked him awake, he looked around for the source of the noise but nothing was there. In the darkness, his mind played tricks on him and he thought he saw her moving towards him like an angel in the cold solitude. His eyes focused more with each blink he took, the illusion just wouldn't go away until it was standing right in front of him.

"Royce, oh, god, I'm going to get you out of here…" She mumbled, his minding finally wrapping around the idea that she was actually there, she was actually unlocking the gate that kept him here.

"Madison…" He croaked on the last syllable.

"Shh.." She whispered, quickly unlocking the door and tossing the keys aside.

"Royce, I thought I'd never see you again…" She mumbled as he stood to embrace her back.

"What are you doing here? You ahve to get out of here before they find you!" He yelled, holding her at arms length.

"Not without you!" She said bakc, a sterness in her voice.

"Madison, if you're with me, you can never have a life, they'll hunt us for the rest of our lives to try to find me again." Royce assured her. Madison shook her head in acknowledgement.

"I know but I love you!" She whispered, capturing his lips with her own.

"Let's get out of here before anyone comes to find out what that noise was." She mumbled, pulling him from the cell and back up the stairs that she came.


End file.
